missmegz

I just wanted to share my story about what happened to me and warn people about what could happen to you:

Me and my husband were driving home to Pennsylvania from West Virginia after seeing a show. We slept in WV and decided to go home the next day. I know, I know....I shouldn'y have the stuff in the car with me, but I did.

Anyway, as we were driving home, we were on the National Highway going through Maryland (cumberland County). There was an unmarked car "running radar" along the road and we got hit. Hubby was goin 72 in a 65. Well, we got pulled over for speeding. Please note, we have a bunch of stickers on the car (all bands....nothing that would indicate marijuana "advocates"). The officer went throught the normal "Do you know why I pulled you over?" routine, and we were very cooperative and polite. Well, he told us we were free to go (please listen for this if an officer ever says this...say thank you and be on your way), and he paused and asked if my husband would be willing to answer a couple of questions outside of the vehicle. This struck me as very unusual. Well, he asked him if we had any weapons in the car, "No sir." He asked if we had any drugs in the car, "Sir, not to my knowledge, no."
Can we ask your wife a few questions? "Sure, sir, feel free."

Well, I had a small glass pipe with some ash and residue in it from the night before and a very small ( i mean...a PINCH) amount of shake in a tin under my seat. He asked me the same questions, and told me he was going to be doing a search on the vehicle and that I should cooperate and tell the truth. I figured, ok...it's a pipe, some ash and a pinch of shake...we're from out of state and the worse this guy is going to do is take it and tell us to get the hell home. Wrong. Don't EVER EVER EVER admit to anything they don't have proof of. EVER. I know this now and carry my rights with me in my wallet.

Well, I admitted to it and he took it, arrested me and I was booked into jail (for a pipe and ash and a pinch of shake). I felt like a total criminal. I felt like I had just murdered someone. First I was taken to the station, and put into holding. The made me remove my bra and sweatshirt (because they didn't want me to hang myself with it(I, by the way..amd not a tiny girl..i'm 5'7" and not skinny and a bra would have never done the job)) and surprise...they let me keep my heavy duty leather studded belt on! To me that would have been much more effective at hanging myself, but whatever.

I was also told by the arresting officer he "expected to find more". Oops..sorry I ruined your day, D.A.R.E.-man.

I sat in holding for about 4 hours, then they took me to the jail where I was strip searched, booked and given a number. Luckily my husband came just in time before I had to do any actual time there.

I called a Norml recommended lawyer who advised I enter a plea of "stet". This means you aren't offically charged with a misdemeanor or felony...it just means you're in trouble (I think?). I was advised to do 40 hours of community service.

My plea was accepted a month and a half ago and I am to stay out of trouble for a year until they get my record expunged of the plea. If I get arrested for ANYTHING within the next year..I go to jail. Even if I happen to get arrested for exposing myself or something completely unrelated.

Just a word of warning....KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. AND INVOKE THOSE RIGHTS. I'm pretty sure you can find them all on here, and if not, go to norml's website, print yourself a card, and remind yourself and the next kindly officer you come into contact with what exactly your rights are. I would have never been in this mess if I had known.

Best of luck to anyone being persecuted for smoking.

smudged123

Yes... always remember cops need PROBABLE CAUSE to conduct a search, unless of course, if you allow them to without any.

Probable cause can include all of the following, and probably more:
Like always, the first impression counts, so if you are pulled over and look like something out of Cheech And Chong then that'd probably raise some concerns.

Smells also, if they smell actual marijuana, or "stale marijuana smoke" then that's another reason

Lastly, the one that Ive seen more people get screwed over for than any other, and it's really stupid too
Leaving things in plain site. You will usually notice when you get pulled over, the cop(s) will circle the car w/ flashlights looking inside for ANYTHING suspicious. A pipe, rolling papers, stems/shake on ur carpet

I know there's probably more, this is just what i came up with off the top of my head